Short cervix/cerclage/bedrest question

prettypinkypeonies

I was on bedrest for a imcompetent/short cervix starting at 24 weeks when I was pregnant with LO. @24 weeks, my cervix had shortened to 1.5 cm , and was on strict bedrest until my son was born.  He ended up being born at 34 weeks, and is doing great now.

For my next pregnancy, i am probably going to get a cerclage since it is something we know about now. Still, I'm not sure if I will be on bedrest for the entire pregnancy like I was with LO. Obviously something I am going to talk with my doctor about..

Question is, anyone have any experience with being pregnant while having a short cervix? Do you have a cerclage? Were you on bedrest the whole time? 

 

babystella08

I also have a short cervix and they didn't know with my son until my water broke at 33w and I delivered at 34. He too is doing great! I didn't have the best doctors. I have a new and better doctor this time around and I have to go in every 2 weeks for them to measure my cervix and I am also on progesterone shots weekly which give you about a 30% chance (may be 33% I can't remember) of holding the baby in longer. I am on modified pelvic rest, meaning no sex, no lifting my son, no walking or standing for long periods of time. I have to take it easy. I think it may be too late in the game for me to get a cerclage at this point but I am not sure. I think they are done earlier on. I know bed rest can become an option down the road but I am just taking it day by day for now. Good luck to you!

jlc071903

I'm interested to see the answers to this post....FWIW...my peri SWEARS I won't have to go on BR again b/c I'll have a cerclage between 11-13 weeks, but that's a ways in the future for us....if at all...so we'll see.

Ramella

I have a similar situation. ?I was diagnosed with IC at 23 weeks. ?My cervix measured 1cm and was was 1cm dilated. ?I have been on bed rest since (12 weeks now). ?Strict bed rest - only able to get up for bathroom and showers, no sex and no sitting. ?I was put on terbutaline pills 3X/day and magnesium pills 2X/day to help with putting contractions off. ?I was also given steroid shots at 24 and 25 weeks to help baby's lungs develop in case we delivered early. ?We get vaginal ultrasounds weekly to measure the cervix, and it seems to be stable at 1 cm. ?So far so good and we are still pregnant (35 weeks today). ?I'll be taken off my meds next week, and I know that once I am off meds, my contractions will start as they have already the last few days. ?We're hoping to hang on until 37 weeks, though we're told our chances are really good should we go into delivery any day now.

It was too late for me to get a cerclage since they discovered the IC at 23 weeks, and at that point there was very little cervix left to sew up. ?24 weeks is the latest they will do a cerclage (according to my specialist), they usually recommend it as early as possible - I've heard it done as early as 9-10 weeks. ?For our next pregnancy, our doc says we definitely will get a cerclage, and that bed rest will still be part of the game plan, though they can't tell at what point I'll have to go on bed rest - it will depend on how the cerclage holds up. ?Bed rest is tough, and I hope that when a cerclage is in place next time that any bed rest will be much later in the pregnancy. ?

?Hope that helps.

?

chocolatechip06

I lost twins at 24 weeks back in April due to IC (diagnosed at 16.5 weeks, emergency cerclage placed with 8 weeks of bedrest) that obviously did not work.

 I am scheduled to have a transbdominal cerclage (TAC) placed at the end of August before we start IVF again.

 The transabdominal cerclage is placed much higher up than a traditional cerclage so the success rate is much higher in terms of a successful/full term pregancy (about 95-97%).  Bedrest is not the norm unless there are additional issues such at PTL along with the IC.  Once the TAC is in place it takes care of the IC problem and you can go about activities of daily living.

 I need to have a c-section because of the TAC in any future pregnancy but that is a non-issue since I would need a c-section due to the traditional nature of my c-section since my twins were so early/so little (vertical versus horiziontal incision on my uterus).

 I know that having a traditional cerclage placed early in the pregnancy has better outcomes than having it placed in an emergency situation when changes are already occuring but I cannot take the chance of this happening again so the TAC is the best route for me.

 

I belong to the Abbyloopers Board which discusses the TAC in more detail

 

https://www.abbyloopers.org

I can be emailed at monizcel@gmail.com if anyone wants more information.

Celine

misscinn

i'm sorry celine ?

?

chocolatechip06:

I lost twins at 24 weeks back in April due to IC (diagnosed at 16.5 weeks, emergency cerclage placed with 8 weeks of bedrest) that obviously did not work.

?I am scheduled to have a transbdominal cerclage (TAC) placed at the end of August before we start IVF again.

?The transabdominal cerclage is placed much higher up than a traditional cerclage so the success rate is much higher in terms of a successful/full term pregancy (about 95-97%).? Bedrest is not the norm unless there are additional issues such at PTL along with the IC.? Once the TAC is in place it takes care of the IC problem and you can go about activities of daily living.

?I need to have a c-section because of the TAC in any future pregnancy but that is a non-issue since I would need a c-section due to the traditional nature of my c-section since my twins were so early/so little (vertical versus horiziontal incision on my uterus).

?I know that having a traditional cerclage placed early in the pregnancy has better outcomes than having it placed in an emergency situation when changes are already occuring but I cannot take the chance of this happening again so the TAC is the best route for me.

?

I belong to the Abbyloopers Board which discusses the TAC in moredetail

?

https://www.abbyloopers.org

I can be emailed at monizcel@gmail.com if anyone wants moreinformation.

Celine

melaniecl

With Ds, I had a cerclage placed in at 23w3d. At 24 weeks I was placed on strict bedrest due to my IC and pre-term labor for the remainder of my pg....hardest thing ever, but DS was born at 38 weeks!

 This time around, I am getting my cerclage next week. At 16 weeks, I will start P17 shots and have regular cervical measurements done. My peri has said absolutely nothing about bedrest. I'm sure I will have some restrictions after the cerclage (no sex, heavy excercise, etc) but as for bedrest, both my OB and peri are trying to avoid that. I am assuming it will be an "as-needed" thing, which is why I will be getting regular cervical measurements. I'm sure if contractions start up or my cervix will get too short, then it will occur, but not before. good luck.

kristin0910

chocolatechip06:

I lost twins at 24 weeks back in April due to IC (diagnosed at 16.5 weeks, emergency cerclage placed with 8 weeks of bedrest) that obviously did not work.

 I am scheduled to have a transbdominal cerclage (TAC) placed at the end of August before we start IVF again.

 The transabdominal cerclage is placed much higher up than a traditional cerclage so the success rate is much higher in terms of a successful/full term pregancy (about 95-97%).  Bedrest is not the norm unless there are additional issues such at PTL along with the IC.  Once the TAC is in place it takes care of the IC problem and you can go about activities of daily living.

 I need to have a c-section because of the TAC in any future pregnancy but that is a non-issue since I would need a c-section due to the traditional nature of my c-section since my twins were so early/so little (vertical versus horiziontal incision on my uterus).

 I know that having a traditional cerclage placed early in the pregnancy has better outcomes than having it placed in an emergency situation when changes are already occuring but I cannot take the chance of this happening again so the TAC is the best route for me.

 

I belong to the Abbyloopers Board which discusses the TAC in more detail

 

https://www.abbyloopers.org

I can be emailed at monizcel@gmail.com if anyone wants more information.

Celine

 

I, too, have lost two children-- one definitely from IC. We lost our first daughter at 22 weeks and our second daughter at 21 weeks from IC. I had an emergency cerclage placed at 19 weeks but it was to no avail.

I had the TAC placed this April 1 at 13 weeks and will be celebrating week 31 of pregnancy tomorrow. I was nervous about the TAC because it seemed too good to be true, but I am a true believer now. However, I have been on bedrest since week 13 but a lot of that was by choice. I am a pharmacist by profession and can easily spend up to 12 hours on my feet, so my peri and I decided that it would be best if I didn't work during the pregnancy.

From what I understand, bedrest with a TAC is rare, but I'm 38 years old and quite frankly, didn't want to take any chances.

Bedrest is not fun, but I have never regretted my decision. We are doing  a c-sect at 37 weeks, so 6 more weeks to go, fingers crossed.

Good luck with your decision and Celine, good luck with your TAC! I hope everything works out well for you. I know the pain of loss and hope that you have a happy and healthy pregnancy.